CRAN release 0.7.0

nanonext 0.7.0

nanonext 0.7 implements API optimisations after recent enhancements; the API is again intended to remain stable after these changes

New Features

• status_code() utility returns a translation of HTTP response status codes.

Updates

Please review the following potentially breaking changes, and only update when ready:

• The API has been re-engineered to ensure stability of return types:
  • socket(), context() and stream() will now error rather than return an 'errorValue'. The error value is included in the error message.
  • send_aio() and recv_aio() now always return an integer 'errorValue' at $result and $data respectively.
  • recv() and recv_aio() now return an integer 'errorValue' at each of $raw and $data when 'keep.raw' is set to TRUE.
  • ncurl() now returns an integer 'errorValue' at each of $status, $headers, $raw and $data for both sync and async. Where redirects are not followed, the address is now returned as a character string at $data.
• For functions that send and receive messages i.e. send(), send_aio(), recv(), recv_aio() and ncurl(), 'errorValues' are now returned silently without an accompanying warning. Use is_error_value() to explicitly check for errors.
• nano_init() is deprecated due to the above change in behaviour.
• send() no longer has a '...' argument. This has had no effect since 0.6.0, but will now error if additional arguments are provided (please check and remove previous uses of the argument 'echo'). Also no longer returns invisibly for consistency with recv().
• listen() and dial() now only take a socket as argument; for nano objects, the $listen() and $dial() methods must be used instead.
• nano() now creates a nano object with method $context_open() for applicable protocols. Opening a context will attach a context at $context and a $context_close() method. When a context is active, all object methods apply to the context instead of the socket. Method $socket_setopt() renamed to $setopt() as it can be used on the socket or active context as applicable.
• Non-logical values supplied to logical arguments will now error: this is documented for each function where this is applicable.

Other changes:

• Integer send()/recv() arguments for 'mode' and setopt() arguments for 'type' implemented in 0.5.3 are now documented and considered part of the API. This is a performance feature that skips matching the character argument value.
• Fixes bug introduced in 0.6.0 where Aios returning 'errorValues' are not cached with the class, returning only integer values when accessed subsequently.
• Fixes potential crash when base64dec() encounters invalid input data. Error messages have been revised to be more accurate.
• Fixes the $ method for 'recvAio' objects for when the object has been stopped using stop_aio().
• Using the $listen() or $dial() methods of a nano object specifying 'autostart = FALSE' now attaches the $listener_start() or $dialer_start() method for the most recently added listener/dialer.
• device() no longer prompts for confirmation in interactive environments - as device creation is only successful when binding 2 raw mode sockets, there is little scope for accidental use.
• Print method for 'errorValue' now also provides the human translation of the error code.
• Bundled 'libnng' source updated to v1.6.0 pre-release (5385b78).
• Internal performance enhancements.

CRAN release 0.6.0

nanonext 0.6.0

The nanonext 0.6 series incorporates significant advances in performance and stability over previous releases

New Features

• Implements base64enc() and base64dec() base64 encoding and decoding using the 'Mbed TLS' library.
• sha224(), sha256(), sha384() and sha512() functions gain an argument 'convert' to control whether to return a raw vector or character string.
• ncurl() gains the argument 'follow' (default FALSE) to control whether redirects are automatically followed.

Updates

Please review the following potentially breaking changes, and only update when ready:

• send() now returns an integer exit code in all cases. The 'echo' argument has been replaced by '...', and specifying 'echo' no longer has any effect.
• recv(), recv_aio() and request() now default to 'keep.raw' = FALSE to return only the sent object.
• ncurl() argument 'request' renamed to 'response' for specifying response headers to return (to avoid confusion); new argument 'follow' (placed between 'convert' and 'method') controls whether redirects are followed, and there is no longer a user prompt in interactive environments.
• sha224(), sha256(), sha384() and sha512() functions no longer return 'nanoHash' objects, but a raw vector or character string depending on the new argument 'convert'.

Other changes:

• socket() and nano() now accept non-missing NULL 'listen' and 'dial' arguments, allowing easier programmatic use.
• Functions send(), recv(), send_aio(), recv_aio(), setopt(), subscribe(), unsubscribe() and survey_time() are no longer S3 generics for enhanced performance.
• messenger() uses longer SHA-512 hash for authentication; fixes errors creating a connnection not being shown.
• The source code of 'libnng' v1.6.0 pre-release (722bf46) and 'libmbedtls' v3.2.1 now comes bundled rather than downloaded - this is much more efficient as unused portions have been stripped out.
• Detects and uses system installations of 'libnng' >= 1.6.0 pre-release 722bf46 and 'libmbedtls' >= 2 where available, only compiling from source when required.
• R >= 4.2 on Windows now performs source compilation of the bundled 'libnng' and 'libmbedtls' using the rtools42 toolchain. Installation falls back to pre-compiled libraries for older R releases.
• Supported R version amended to >= 2.5, when the current new.env() interface was implemented.
• Internal performance enhancements.

CRAN release 0.5.5

nanonext 0.5.5

Updates

• Installation succeeds under Linux where library path uses 'lib64' instead of 'lib', and fails gracefully if 'cmake' is not found.

CRAN release 0.5.4

nanonext 0.5.4

New Features

• Implements sha224(), sha256(), sha384() and sha512() series of fast, optimised cryptographic hash and HMAC generation functions using the 'Mbed TLS' library.
• ncurl() and stream() gain the argmument 'pem' for optionally specifying a certificate authority certificate chain PEM file for authenticating secure sites.
• ncurl() gains the argument 'request' for specifying response headers to return.
• ncurl() now returns additional $status (response status code) and $headers (response headers) fields.
• messenger() gains the argument 'auth' for authenticating communications based on a pre-shared key.
• random() gains the argument 'n' for generating a vector of random numbers.

Updates

• 'libmbedtls' is now built from source upon install so the package always has TLS support and uses the latest v3.2.1 release. Windows binaries also updated to include TLS support.
• nng_version() now returns the 'Mbed TLS' library version number.
• device() gains a confirmation prompt when running interactively for more safety.
• Fixes issue with ncurl() that caused a 26 cryptography error with certain secure sites using SNI.

CRAN release 0.5.3

nanonext 0.5.3

Updates

• Configure script provides more information by default.
• Allows integer send/recv 'mode' arguments (note: this is an undocumented performance feature with no future guarantees).
• Aio 'timeout' arguments now default to NULL for applying the socket default, although non-breaking as -2L will also work.
• msleep() made safe (does not block) in case of non-numeric input.
• Internal performance optimisations.

CRAN release 0.5.2

nanonext 0.5.2

New Features

• Adds mclock(), msleep() and random() utilities exposing the library functions for timing and cryptographic RNG respectively.
• socket() gains the ability to open 'raw' mode sockets. Please note: this is not for general use - do not set this argument unless you have a specific need, such as for use with device() (refer to NNG documentation).
• Implements device() which creates a socket forwarder or proxy. Warning: use this in a separate process as this function blocks with no ability to interrupt.

Updates

• Internal performance optimisations.

CRAN release 0.5.1

nanonext 0.5.1

Updates

• Upgrades NNG library to 1.6.0 pre-release (locked to version 722bf46). This version incorporates a feature simplifying the aio implementation in nanonext.
• Configure script updated to always download and build 'libnng' from source (except on Windows where pre-built libraries are downloaded). The script still attempts to detect a system 'libmbedtls' library to link against.
• Environment variable 'NANONEXT_SYS' introduced to permit use of a system 'libnng' install in /usr/local. Note that this is a manual setting allowing for custom NNG builds, and requires a version of NNG at least as recent as 722bf46.
• Fixes a bug involving the unresolvedValue returned by Aios (thanks @lionel- #3).

CRAN release 0.5.0

nanonext 0.5.0

nanonext is now considered substantially feature-complete and API-stable

New Features

• $context() method added for creating new contexts from nano Objects using supported protocols (i.e. req, rep, sub, surveyor, respondent) - this replaces the context() function for nano Objects.
• subscribe() and unsubscribe() now accept a topic of any atomic type (not just character), allowing pub/sub to be used with integer, double, logical, complex, or raw vectors.
• Sending via the "pub" protocol, the topic no longer needs to be separated from the rest of the message, allowing character scalars to be sent as well as vectors.
• Added convenience auxiliary functions is_nano() and is_aio().

Updates

• Protocol-specific helpers subscribe(), unsubscribe(), and survey_time() gain nanoContext methods.
• Default protocol is now 'bus' when opening a new Socket or nano Object - the choices are ordered more logically.
• Closing a stream now strips all attributes on the object rendering it a nil external pointer - this is for safety, eliminating a potential crash if attempting to re-use a closed stream.
• For receives, if an error occurs in unserialisation or data conversion (e.g. mode was incorrectly specified), the received raw vector is now available at both $raw and $data if keep.raw = TRUE.
• Setting 'NANONEXT_TLS=1' now allows the downloaded NNG library to be built against a system mbedtls installation.
• Setting 'NANONEXT_ARM' is no longer required on platforms such as Raspberry Pi - the package configure script now detects platforms requiring the libatomic linker flag automatically.
• Deprecated send_ctx(), recv_ctx() and logging removed.
• All-round internal performance optimisations.

CRAN release 0.4.0

nanonext 0.4.0

New Features

• New stream() interface exposes low-level byte stream functionality in the NNG library, intended for communicating with non-NNG endpoints, including but not limited to websocket servers.
• ncurl() adds an 'async' option to perform HTTP requests asynchronously, returning immediately with a 'recvAio'. Adds explicit arguments for HTTP method, headers (which takes a named list or character vector) and request data, as well as to specify if conversion from raw bytes is required.
• New messenger() function implements a multi-threaded console-based messaging system using NNG's scalability protocols (currently as proof of concept).
• New nano_init() function intended to be called immediately after package load to set global options.

Updates

• Behavioural change: messages have been upgraded to warnings across the package to allow for enhanced reporting of the originating call e.g. via warnings() and flexibility in handling via setting options().
• Returned NNG error codes are now all classed as 'errorValue' across the package.
• Unified send() and recv() functions, and their asynchronous counterparts send_aio() and recv_aio(), are now S3 generics and can be used across Sockets, Contexts and Streams.
• Revised 'block' argument for send() and recv() now allows an integer value for setting a timeout.
• send_ctx() and recv_ctx() are deprecated and will be removed in a future package version - the methods for send() and recv() should be used instead.
• To allow for more flexible practices, logging is now deprecated and will be removed entirely in the next package version. Logging can still be enabled via 'NANONEXT_LOG' prior to package load but logging() is now defunct.
• Internal performance optimisations.

CRAN release 0.3.0

nanonext 0.3.0

New Features

• Aio values $result, $data and $raw now resolve automatically without requiring call_aio(). Access directly and an 'unresolved' logical NA value will be returned if the Aio operation is yet to complete.
• unresolved() added as an auxiliary function to query whether an Aio is unresolved, for use in control flow statements.
• Integer error values generated by receive functions are now classed 'errorValue'. is_error_value() helper function included.
• is_nul_byte() added as a helper function for request/reply setups.
• survey_time() added as a convenience function for surveyor/respondent patterns.
• logging() function to specify a global package logging level - 'error' or 'info'. Automatically checks the environment variable 'NANONEXT_LOG' on package load and then each time logging(level = "check") is called.
• ncurl() adds a '...' argument. Support for HTTP methods other than GET.

Updates

• listen() and dial() now return (invisible) zero rather than NULL upon success for consistency with other functions.
• Options documentation entry renamed to opts to avoid clash with base R 'options'.
• Common format for NNG errors and informational events now starts with a timestamp for easier logging.
• Allows setting the environment variable 'NANONEXT_ARM' prior to package installation
  • Fixes installation issues on certain ARM architectures
• Package installation using a system 'libnng' now automatically detects 'libmbedtls', removing the need to manually set 'NANONEXT_TLS' in this case.
• More streamlined NNG build process eliminating unused options.
• Removes experimental nng_timer() utility as a non-essential function.
• Deprecated functions 'send_vec' and 'recv_vec' removed.